The present disclosure relates generally to optical systems, particularly optical antennas.
In many optical systems, the optical interface is an aperture designed to transmit and/or receive light over a range of angles. These systems generally contain a large volume of optical components for beam shaping and steering in order to create that interface. For example, a number of optical elements are provided in a chained arrangement having a large beam path to control beam steering. As a result, the size, weight and/or complexity of these systems increase.
In known laser communication terminals, such as for spacecraft and aircraft applications, the optical antenna head may be large and can be heavy (e.g., over 100 pounds) as a result of the number of optical elements used. This added size and weight can have a large integration impact on the host platform, for example, affecting size, weight and power (SWaP) requirements.